History Master's Expectations and Tips
History MA Criteria:
We are delighted that you are considering Western for your History Master’s Degree!
Applicants for admission to WWU’s History MA program are evaluated on Academic Background, Statement of Purpose, Writing Sample, and three Letters of Recommendation. For those seeking a Teaching Assistantship, additional criteria are required.
Applicants meeting some preferred criteria are more likely to be admitted and receive funding. The expectations and tips below should help you present your best self. Good luck!
For complete requirements or to apply, visit Western's Graduate School page.
Find more details and resources for History Master's students on our Program Requirements and Courses page.
Academic Background
Applicants must have:
- received an undergraduate degree
- earned a 3.0 overall GPA in their course of study. (Applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0, but who otherwise have a strong application package may be considered for admission)
- have at least some coursework in History, including courses at the upper-division level
Preferably applicants will have:
- a 3.25 GPA or above
- a History major or minor
- coursework in their proposed field of study
- if applicable, appropriate language training
Statement of Purpose
The Statement of Purpose should:
- be 300-600 words
- explain the applicant’s reason for applying
- describe their academic background
- offer a general sense of their intended field of study and rationale for studying that field
- state their intended faculty advisor (Find an advisor)
- state their goals after obtaining the MA
Preferably, applicants:
- are specific about their intended field of study
- have ensured that field of study can be supported by their intended faculty advisor
- can provide an example of a thesis topic or explain the types of historical questions that they intend to explore
Writing Sample
Please note that Writing Samples are separate from the Statement of Purpose.
Writing Samples should:
- be 10-25 double-spaced pages in length
- be clearly written
- have a clear thesis supported by evidence
- engage with relevant historiography or, if in a discipline that is not History, methodology
Preferably, applicants:
- use primary and secondary sources to support the thesis
- demonstrate a grasp of the historiography
- articulate the argument’s stakes for the field of study
Letters of Recommendation
Given these criteria, we highly recommend obtaining letters from professors deeply familiar with an applicant’s best academic work.
Three letters of recommendation are required.
The three letters of recommendation should:
- speak to an applicant’s academic abilities, credentials, background, and potential
- recommend applicant for admission
- demonstrate academic relationship and knowledge of applicant as a student
Preferably, letters will:
- provide specific examples of applicant’s academic abilities
- include a stated belief in applicant’s ability to succeed
- speak to applicant’s intellectual curiosity
TA Preparation
If applicants request consideration for a Teaching Assistantship, they are also evaluated on the criteria below. (On the application, applicants must provide the following information in the designated text box.)
Applicants must:
- state their desire to be a TA
- describe the fields that they would feel comfortable as a TA based on their coursework preparation. (Regardless of coursework preparation, TAs will often be asked to teach outside their specific field and comfort zone)
Preferably, applicants will:
- explain any relevant experience they may have